Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (fourth, L) visits the Tianjin blasts site on the afternoon of Aug. 16, 2015. (Photo : CRIENGLISH)
According to media reports, five real estate enterprises said that they are willing to purchase apartments affected by the recent Tianjin blasts, hoping to refurbish the properties and sell them in the future.
In a bid to help those affected by the tragic blasts, these enterprises have also formed a coalition.
On Tuesday, the China News Service quoted Tianjin Real Estate Development Management Group Co. Ltd. CEO Di Da, stating that the coalition is in talks about the purchase.
Meanwhile, an employee of the Tianjin Construction Development Group Co. Ltd., another member of the group of real estate firms, told the Global Times, "as state-owned enterprises, we take up our social responsibility."
Negotiations about how the purchasing, repairing and selling of the damaged apartments can be done are currently ongoing, he added.
An official from Tianjin's Binhai District also confirmed to the Global Times that the senior authorities of the five real estate companies have already approached the government for consultation.
The discussion between the coalition and the Chinese authorities involve the planning and development of residential area near the affected site. The property market price estimates were also talked about.
The official added that the development plans on the involved properties would highlight and put first the interest of the residents.
According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, the blasts had damaged around 17,000 households to varying degrees, seriously affecting seven residential communities.
Recently, the affected residents of the said communities held a protest demanding the local authorities to buy their houses as a way to compensate for their losses.
The residents are also asking for a transparency of the development plan proposed by the real estate coalition.
Xinhua added that the Tianjin government will decide which houses will be prepared after they, along with professional agencies, have carried out an assessment.
The news agency further quoted Tianjin vice mayor Zong Guoying, remarking that the assessment process is open to the residents' scrutiny to ensure transparency.
